Feelings
by ILoveTrunksBriefs
Summary: Juvia comes back from a mission and there's something very wrong with her
1. Juvia's Mission

Quick thing- Hey guys! Here's another Gruvia fic! I love this couple and couldn't help but write another one ;) This one is going to be much longer than Snow and with more of a story. I normally hate the Japanese sounding words (like when people say 'that is Kawaii' instead of 'that is cute'.) But it doesn't sound right to me if Juvia doesn't say Gray-sama. That's my only exception. Anyway, continue with the fic my dears!

-OoO-

Juvia searched the job board with a purpose. She was going to take a job and it needed to be a good one. She had been pretty lax about rent lately and her debt was slowly rising. She was a few months behind and that certainly wasn't like her. She read each job listing carefully; first looking at the price and then the job. 100,000 Jewels a month was a steep price for her Fairy Hills apartment but it had an added perk of her guild mates. She always enjoyed hanging out with them and playing fun games. Juvia wanted to gain more confidence as she always got embarrassed so easily. Maybe if she had more confidence, Gray-sama would look her way. She shook her head hard, this wasn't the time for that, she had to find a job and find it fast. She scanned the board again and found a particular flyer that caught her eye. ***Was this here before**?* she thought to herself.

It was a larger flyer depicting a reward of 1,000,000 Jewels. She scanned the flyer as if her life depended on it. It wasn't marked S class and it didn't have a specified mage requested. She read the details-

**Reward: 1,000,000 Jewels**

** Need a skilled mage to get rid of a dark mage. Please help! **

It seemed a bit suspicious that there wasn't much detail of the situation but a million jewels were a million jewels and Juvia needed the money. It wasn't very far and she could get there easily in a few days. She didn't doubt her ability to take down a foe but she still would feel better if she at least _asked _Gray-sama to accompany her. She walked over to where he was sitting (clad in only his boxers) and eating shaved ice. She held up the mission flyer and gave him a smile, "Gray-sama, would you like to go on a mission with Juvia?" She asked hopefully. As soon as he turned toward her she knew the answer.

"Sorry Juvia, Erza already cornered Natsu, Lucy and me to go on a mission with her but thanks anyway." He continued eating his shaved ice, unaware of her slightly disappointed expression.

Juvia turned and gave Mira the flyer, hoping she'd just OK it and let Juvia be on her way. Mira seemed a bit distracted as she approved the job request, seeming to watch Natsu and Lucy. Juvia looked over and was pleased to see the two laughing together. ***Fall in love with Natsu, Lucy! One less Love Rival to worry about*** her eyes glinted as she thought of Lucy happily hugging Natsu. She'd always rooted for those two, mostly to ease her own doubts about Gray-sama.

She took the flyer and went to leave when Gray called out to her "Good luck on your mission, Juvia!" She looked back, extremely happy that he cared, and gave him a wide smile and a thumbs up. \

-OoO-

Juvia was hurt but she could still fight. Her opponent was a tall man with a shaggy black mop of hair on his head. He had a wild mustache that seemed to want to go in all directions at once and appeared to desperately want to escape his face. He had a strange type of magic that seemed to defy the laws of reality (as weird as Fairy Tail reality is concerned). It was strange but he kept switching whatever he touched. For lack of a better explanation, he reversed the properties of everything around him.

She shot a water slice at him, hoping to disarm him or at least distract him as she summoned a giant wave of water.

He made a circle gesture with his index finger and shouted "_Reverse!"_ Her water slice turned into fire and shot back at her. She leaped away from the flames, completely stupefied as to what the extent of this strange magic was. She was frightened and she didn't like being frightened; it made her feel weak and confused.

This exchange of fighting had gone on for the entire duration of the fight. She shot an attack and he reversed it back to her.

She let the wave of water she was building die down. It would do her more harm than good if she were to unleash it on this strange man. He was unlike any other enemy she'd ever faced. The odds of her winning this fight were dwindling. She couldn't use her magic for fear it would be reversed into fire and attack its caster. She clutched her arm, already badly burnt from the fire slices. Her legs were riddled with singes too. Her body was telling her to stop but she knew she couldn't. This wasn't about the reward anymore. She needed to stop this man. He was dangerous and as a Fairy Tail mage she wasn't about to let him run his destructive path.

Juvia ran at him, ignoring her body's plea for rest, and gathered magic for another attack when he suddenly appeared before her and put his finger on her forehead. She couldn't move. Her thoughts suddenly filled with Gray-sama and how she'd never get to see him again. Would he be sad?

"Well, well, well, little miss Lockser; it looks as though you have an unrequited love. Such strong feelings of happiness, such hope for your future with this man." He chuckled deeply. "It seems as though this is your strongest feeling you have. Something you cling to. Since I've wounded you enough physically, it's time for a mental attack." He looked at her straight in the eye, smiled maliciously and yelled loudly, "_REVERSE!" _

Everything went black.

-OoO-

Juvia awoke, cold and in pain, and stared up at the night sky. She was dazed and confused. What had happened? She remembered fighting some guy with a weird mustache and then… she was starting to get a headache as she struggled to remember. She tried to sit up and cried out as she felt her multiple burns scream in protest. She forced herself into a sitting position and surveyed the damage to her body. The burns looked bad but they would surely heal with the right medicine. Right now it was time to focus on getting back to the guild. She tottered a bit, swaying in a zig zag, but managed to steady herself enough to walk.

After about 20 minutes of walking she came upon the inn she was staying at and went to her room to get some rest, while ignoring the inn keepers' concerned suggestions to go to a hospital. She just wanted to sleep and go back to Fairy Tail. She felt bad about her failed mission but she really just wanted to be with her friends and sleep in her own bed at Fairy Hills.

She'd get on with her journey home tomorrow but for now all she wanted was to be ignorant of her painful body and drift into dreamland.

-OoO-

The guild was buzzing as usual but all Gray Fullbuster could think about was where a certain Rain Woman was. He was feeling uneasy as Juvia hadn't made contact with the guild in over 4 days. It wasn't unusual that she went on solo missions but she usually knocked them out in no time at all. She was a strong mage and she could defend herself but 4 days was a long time for Juvia to be away. Gray was starting to wish he'd gone with her when she'd asked him. He and the gang had finished their mission as soon as they got there. The mission was to capture some silly punks that knew some weak magic. Natsu burned them to a crisp and he froze them and the job was over. Lucy and Erza didn't even have to lift a finger (though Erza lifted her whole arm to pound Natsu and him senseless for destroying the village). He cringed just thinking about it.

Gray looked toward the door for what had to be the hundredth time and was unsurprised to find it empty. He really didn't like the nagging feeling in his head that told him something was wrong. Something just didn't feel right and he wanted to find out what it was that made him feel this way. Glancing at the door one more time and finding it empty once again, he got up and went to Mira.

"You don't happen to know where Juvia went for her mission, do you?" he asked calmly.

Mira looked up from wiping the table and gave him a look that suggested she was as worried as he was, "I haven't heard from her for a few days. The job she took was just to take care of a single dark mage. I thought it'd be a piece of cake for Juvia but I'm starting to get really worried about her-" Just then her communications Lacrima started to react.

Mirajane grabbed the Lacrima crystal ball and peered into the haggard looking Juvia's face. Juvia looked awful. She had dark bags under her eyes and her face had what looked like burn marks blemishing her pale skin. Her hair was a ratty mess and it looked as though she were in pain.

"Juvia! What happened?! You look terribly injured!" Mira clasped her hands between her breasts and looked at the water mage with concern.

"Juvia is at an inn nearby. Juvia just needs to get some bandages and she'll get back to the guild." Juvia looked like talking was hurting her considerably.

Gray watched this exchange with a relieved expression but he was boiling inside. Who did this to Juvia? Juvia was injured but she was alive and that was what counted but he wanted to find whoever did it and completely obliterate them. Mira chatted with Juvia, telling her how she'd get arrangements for her to be picked up. Gray left the guild, intending to take a walk cool his head a bit. He knew Juvia was going to be fine but he still had a terrible feeling that something was wrong.

-OoO-

Juvia watched the Lacrima go black and returned it to the inn keeper. She walked through the village to find a doctor. She got some burn treatment and her burns were covered in salve and bandages. She sat on a bench to catch her breath. She was still in considerable pain. Her body ached from all the burns but it also pained her that she couldn't remember what happened. She concentrated hard. She'd fought with the mustache guy; he did something weird with his magic. Her water was turned to fire and was the reason for her burns. After that she ran at him. Then…then…he pointed at her? Yeah, he pointed at her. She couldn't move a muscle. She remembered the fear, the crippling fear of not getting out of this alive. He yelled something and she had fainted. That's what happened! But what did he do to her?

Juvia went back to the inn and stared carefully at her reflection in the full-length mirror in her room. She looked at her head where he had pointed and she found nothing odd. She looked at her eyes and lips, seeing nothing out of the ordinary and continued observing her body. Everything looked fine. She looked at her hands last. She stared at her palms and turned them over carefully. There was nothing wrong with her besides the array of bandages covering her injuries.

She snapped her head up and looked into her reflections eyes, her mouth in an open 'O' of comprehension. ***Maybe he has converted my magic into fire permanently**.* She was suddenly very unsure of whether or not she should test this theory. Could she control it? She didn't feel like anything was different with her magic. She experimented by trying to change her hand into water. She closed her eyes and, when she felt neither heat nor burning, she opened them to discover a watery appendage. So, nothing was wrong with her body or her magic. What had he changed? He could reverse things but he chose not to do any damage? She doubted it. He seemed to be intent on destroying something within her.

She was feeling better now that she knew she could use her magic the way she knew how. She knew she should take it easy because of her burns but all she wanted to do was go home. Juvia waited patiently outside the inn for the carriage Mira had arranged. After she had her suitcase loaded in, they departed. She was going back to where she belonged. Juvia couldn't wait to see everyone! She couldn't wait to see Natsu and Lucy laughing and she wanted to see Happy eating fish. Juvia wanted to see Erza eating cake and Mira wiping the bar counter. She wanted to see Gajeel and Levy bickering about silly things.

She smiled, thinking about all of her friends. One person flashed into her mind and she scowled. If there was one person she _didn't_ want to see it'd be him; that stupid black haired idiot that always took off his clothes. Gray Fullbuster, the perverted ice mage.

-OoO-

Author's note:

Well, that was intense! This idea popped into my head when I was just daydreaming about what would happen if Juvia really hated Gray. I'm really trying to expand my horizons with this fic. I've never been able to correctly mold a story into something really great so I'm hoping this one will turn into something I'm proud of. Please feel free to review, review, review! Give me some feedback people!


	2. Home sweet home?

Ch. 2

Gray was sitting at the bar, yet again, and waiting patiently for Juvia's arrival. If anybody had asked him, he'd say he was waiting to have his daily fight with Natsu. Of course that excuse would backfire when Natsu actually walked into the guild but for now it was sound. The carriage was to arrive any time now and he wanted to be one of the first people to see Juvia. He didn't know how to explain it; he just wanted to see her. Before anyone jumps to any conclusions, He didn't like Juvia that way. She is a guild mate that he respects and occasionally admires for her strength. She tended to get on his nerves at times with the way she was always freaking out over him. Although he did have to admit he found her attractive to look at.

Gray always had to admire her smooth pale skin and her magnificent blue hair that suited her perfectly. She always wore outfits that smothered her body but he didn't mind because that was Juvia. She didn't have to show off her body or try too hard to look good. She wasn't conceited about her looks and she didn't complain about herself. Juvia is Juvia and the more he thought about her the more he wanted to see her. Once she was all healed up maybe he'd ask her to go on a mission with him, just the two of them. Or screw the mission and they can just get something to eat sometime. He was sure that'd make her happy. He glanced at the door again and sat up quickly when he saw the carriage pull up. He waited until she got out before joining the crowd of guild members waiting to welcome the water mage back home.

Juvia's face broke into a smile upon seeing everyone coming to greet her. She was bombarded with questions and she became flustered by all the attention. She looked at her feet as question after question was shot at her.

"**QUIET!"** Master Makarov shouted comically. He gestured for Juvia to come to come with him to a private room. She obeyed and they discussed her mission. She told him her concerns with the mustache mage's odd magic. Master nodded thoughtfully at everything she told him. He examined her and could find nothing out of the ordinary. He asked her to show him her magic and again he found nothing wrong. He finished up his questioning and he looked into her eyes. He suddenly grew rigid, there was something odd there. He peered into her face and tried to put into words what he saw there. Something was definitely wrong; it was if something was missing. He couldn't put his finger on it. "Let's just see how things go for a couple of days and then we'll see if there have been any changes." He said to her.

"You should get some more rest and have some fun with everyone. I'll see what I can find out about this mustache guy you've told me about." With that they went back into the main room.

Juvia still felt uncertain, especially when Master looked into her eyes. It was unsettling when he'd reacted so suddenly and got a cryptic look when he'd studied her. She decided not to dwell on it any further as she reentered the main room and she was greeted by Lucy. Lucy gave a comical cry and told Juvia how worried everyone was. Juvia blushed at her friend's concern. Juvia gave Lucy a hug and the celestial mage froze. Noticing this stiffness Juvia released her and asked what the matter was. Lucy just laughed and said, "You always call me Love Rival so I was worried there for a minute that you'd ask what I did to Gray." Juvia cocked her head and adopted a curious look. Her face then contorted into a scowl. Lucy was taken aback at the sudden ferocity Juvia's face depicted. "Juvia would never call you that. You're my friend. Why would Juvia worry about that stupid Ice brain?" Lucy stood there shocked. Did she hear right? Juvia's face regained its happy smile and the two started to chat about what the guild had been up to while she was away but Lucy couldn't help thinking about how Juvia had reacted before. Something was _very_ wrong here and she was concerned for her friend.

Gray sat patiently at the bar, waiting for his turn with Juvia. He watched intently as the two girls chatted away and he was starting to get anxious. He noticed the sudden change in Juvia's expression and he was concerned. What were they talking about? She'd seemed so angry. He got up and walked over to them. He tapped Juvia on the shoulder and gave her a big smile.

"Hey Juvia, I'm glad you're alright. How'd the mission go?" He was waiting for the hearts to burst into her eyes and her voice to become all squeaky but that was far from the reaction he got.

He watched her turn toward him and saw a face he didn't recognize. It was Juvia but it wasn't. She looked at him with the upmost loathing. He'd never seen her with such a hateful expression. He was so startled that he retreated a step and held up his hands.

"What the hell do you want, Ice breath?" She practically spat the words at him in disgust.

He just stared at her, wide eyed, before regaining his composure enough to speak. "I was just asking how your mission went. What's your problem?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

"The only problem I have is you and your ugly face. Just leave me alone." She bid goodbye to Lucy, explaining to her that she just wanted to go home, and left. Gray and Lucy just stood there, gaping at each other as they both watched the blue haired Water mage storm off.

Lucy shook her head and looked to Gray to confirm what they had just seen. Gray looked so confused. This wasn't the Juvia he knew. Where was the love-struck little mage that followed him around like a puppy?

"Did she say anything weird to you Lucy? Like, why she's suddenly angry at me?" He asked, knowing that girls had a sixth sense for what was wrong with other girls. She shook her head.

"She was totally normal for me. Except she wasn't glaring at me and calling me her love rival like usual. She was really friendly." She shrugged. "Was there anything you can think of that you did to make her mad?"

He wracked his brain, trying to think exactly what he could have done, and came up with nothing. "I declined her offer to go on a mission because I was going with you guys but Juvia isn't that petty that she'd get so upset over such a thing. I can't think of anything I've done to make her so mad."

Lucy just shook her head and sighed. "It must have been something big. Considering how Juvia usually acts around you, she'd forgive you for anything."

Gray just sighed and said he'd think of something.

-OoO-

Juvia walked home quickly. She wanted to be alone. That encounter with the shirtless wonder had dampened her mood and she wanted a hot drink and a bath. She reached Fairy Hills and unlocked her room door. She walked in and turned on the lights. What she saw was enough to make her scream bloody murder. Gray Fullbuster was _everywhere. _He was on her bed, on her floor, even in her bathroom. There were dolls of him, drawings of him, and little accessories. She was practically shaking. She lunged for the nearest Gray doll and made to rip its head off when she heard a knock at the door. She turned towards the noise and stalked over to the door. Upon opening it, she saw Erza standing there calmly.

Erza gasped when she got a good look at Juvia. She looked like a feral animal. She had a doll of Gray clenched tightly in her fist and she was breathing hard. Juvia took a deep breath and looked substantially calmer.

"Oh, Erza, what brings you here?" She asked sweetly. Erza blinked a few times before answering.

"I heard you were back and just wanted to see if you were ok." She gulped and pointed at the doll. "Aren't you being a little rough with that?"

Juvia glanced at her hands and saw how she was twisting the doll's neck. "No, not at all Erza. Someone must have thought it was funny to fill my room with these ugly things."

Erza jerked a little as the doll's head finally ripped open, spilling tufts of stuffing onto the floor. It was unlike Erza to be frightened but at the moment Juvia was acting so strangely that she couldn't help but be shaken. What was up with her? She knew that was a doll of Gray right? She _made _that. She finally snapped out of her thoughts as she had an epiphany. Gray must have done something to upset poor Juvia. Maybe he rejected her right after her mission. Erza's face suddenly darkened.

***Juvia, I'm not sure what happened but I'll be sure your feelings aren't in vain**.* She thought determinately.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling alright, Juvia. I'll leave you to get some rest." Juvia hardly noticed Erza's sudden change in behavior as she was itching to destroy the rest of the vermin in her apartment so she just nodded and closed the door. Erza started her purposeful walk towards Gray's apartment, taking angry strides.

Juvia suppressed a shiver as she started to gather all the Gray dolls and trinkets and put them into bags. Her fatigue forgotten, she started to imagine all the ways she could eliminate each one. She started to shove a particularly large stuffed Gray into a bag when she stopped and examined it.

It looked handmade. In fact, every one of them did. She turned it over and fingered the stitches and seams. They looked as though they had been expertly done. They reminded her of the teru-teru bozu dolls she used to make. Upon closer inspection she noticed marks on its face. She knew what those were too. She'd spent enough time crying in her childhood to know what tear stains looked like. Her heart twinged painfully and she angrily shoved the doll into the bag. Whoever had made all these dolls was certainly messed up. Who'd want to cry over Gray I-Can't-Keep-My-Clothes-On-For-Five-Minutes Fullbuster?

She tied the bag and shoved it into a nearby closet. She then went into her kitchen to have a cup of tea. She felt odd, like this wasn't her apartment but someone else's. She felt like an intruder. Her hand stopped as she reached for the tea. Earl Grey. Gray? She slammed the pantry shut. Why the hell did she buy that gross stuff? Even the name was revolting!

The tea forgotten, she opted for a glass of lemonade. She looked around her apartment now and was surprised to find it almost completely empty, save for her furniture and curtains. Didn't she own more than that? She was suddenly overwhelmed with an uncomfortable feeling. This really wasn't her house, was it?

Her headache was returning and she was starting to get frightened. What was wrong with her? Everything felt different and she just wanted to scream! But was it different? She couldn't remember?! Hot tears started to cascade down her cheeks. What happened to her? She wished she had someone to talk to, someone to hold her. **Gray-sama…**she thought desperately. Her eyes widened and she took a shaky breath. Why would she think of that stupid pervert? She slammed her hands on the table and stood up.

She was going to confront him. He had to be the cause of her anguish. Gray Fullbuster had somehow put a spell or something on her to make her angry and confused. She left the apartment, feeling a bit better that she had a plan.

-OoO-

Author's Note:

My brain is exploding with ideas! I don't know what's been up with me lately but I seriously can't stop writing fanfics. I'm starting to really enjoy this one and am excited to see how it turns out. I wasn't really anticipating bringing Erza into the fray but it just sort of happened and I am not regretting it one bit. Please keep reviewing and giving me your feedback!


	3. Missing Each Other

Ch 3

Erza stomped towards Gray's apartment, imagining everything she'd do to him. What armor would cause the most pain? As his dwelling came into view, she watched the window of his apartment for movement. She caught a glimpse of a black haired boy with his shirt off and she doubled her speed, reaching his door in a matter of seconds.

She didn't bother to knock and just stepped inside. There he was, completely naked except for his trademark necklace. Being Erza, she didn't even blink as she set to the task of punishing him. "Gray, what have you done to Juvia?" She asked. Her tone suggested he did something that was not to be forgiven. You'd think he'd leaked secrets of the guild by the way she was eyeing him.

Gray stood there, completely flabbergasted. What the hell was going on today? He found his voice, "I haven't done anything!" Erza pointed a sword in his face.

"Don't you lie to me Gray." Her eyes were scarier than the sword and he felt like a kid again, cowering under her dagger-like gaze.

He swallowed and looked at her with all the honesty he had and said calmly. "I have done nothing to Juvia." He kept eye contact with her until she lowered the sword. She stepped back and surveyed him, seeming to trust his word. She sheathed her weapon and pulled up a chair.

She coughed awkwardly. "Gray, before we continue this conversation I'd like to ask you to put on some clothes." Erza looked away, a comical blush on her face. He looked down at himself and immediately covered his man bits, stuttering something about not realizing it, how it was his own home, etc. After he had on some proper attire consisting of jeans and an open vest, Gray also took a seat. "Have you had any contact with Juvia within the past 24 hours?" Erza asked.

"Yes but I-" He stopped as the sword was once again thrust in his face. "Let me finish!" He practically squeaked as the sword came dangerously close to his nose. "I wanted to see how she was after her mission but it was like she was a totally different person!" As the weapon once again withdrew from his face he said the last words with confusion. "She looked at me like I was an enemy." He looked down at his tightly clasped hands, worried about what kind of face he was making.

Erza was surprised. This was Juvia they were talking about. Juvia had indeed acted incredibly weird when she'd opened her door but now that Gray was pleading with her that he hadn't done anything, Erza wasn't sure what was going on anymore. Erza quickly explained to Gray why she'd come to his house, her meeting with Juvia, and her curiosity as to what could have made her act the way she acted. "Are you 100% sure you haven't done anything to make her angry?" She wanted to be completely sure.

"I've wracked my brains over and over, going over every last thing I've said to her before her mission and I can't think of anything I could have done to make her hate me so much." He ran his hands through his hair, completely frustrated at the behavior of his guild mate.

Erza set her chin in her hand in a thinking position. When she thought of Juvia she thought of a pretty girl who had fallen in love with Gray. She made him lunches, she worried herself sick when he went on missions, and she had a fierce jealousy streak. She even joined Fairy Tail for him. Juvia is a sweet girl and it never escaped Erza's notice that Gray was pretty careless in his behavior towards the water mage.

Erza's face seemed to dawn sudden recognition as she had an idea. "She's probably sick of you always playing around with her emotions. You always ignore her feelings about you and she's probably sick of it." The sudden epiphany seemed to strike Erza and she felt like it was completely right. Juvia was so in love with Gray that she must have thought that Gray's lack of interest had sufficed as a rejection.

Gray just stared at her with skepticism. "Juvia's not the kind of person to give up so easily. Not to sound cocky but she'd do almost anything for me."

Erza wouldn't give up at these truthful words. "You have to apologize and give her a real answer. Either you like her or you don't. If you truly don't, then please let her down easy. Ignoring a woman's feelings isn't how you properly reject them and that's got to be the reason she's so upset." The more she talked the better she felt about her hypothesis.

"I guess it's worth a shot." He doubted this would work but he didn't want Juvia hating him for the rest of his life. It could make things awkward at the guild and that wasn't what he wanted at all. The problem was what would he say to her? He'd never had to deal with this kind of thing before. Also, how exactly did he feel about Juvia? He knew he always told himself she was just a fellow guild mate but was that all she was to him? He didn't have time to think about this. All he wanted was the old Juvia back, or at least something close to that. He and Erza headed out, Erza back to the guild and Gray to Fairy Hills.

-oOo-

Juvia was on the war path to Gray's house intent on ripping him limb from limb- uh interrogate him on whether or not he was the cause of her confusion. The pant less idiot couldn't possibly do this kind of magic even if he tried but somehow she felt that this was the right thing to do. Confronting him just felt like it was what she _had_ to do. She was about to start sprinting just to get to her closure faster when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She twisted away from the hand and meant to strike whoever had grabbed her when she caught sight of her 'attacker'.

"My beloved Juvia, what are you doing here?" An attractive white haired man asked in a sappy voice.

Juvia stared at the man in front of her, thinking. This was…? His name was Lyon, that much she knew, but how did she come to know him? Sudden recognition hit her as she remembered that Lyon was Gray's friend. They'd both been trained by Ur. How could she have forgotten? If she remembered correctly, Juvia kind of liked this man. Something about him made her heart pitter patter in a way that seemed familiar to her.

"I apologize for startling you, Juvia, you didn't hear me calling you and I worried there was something the matter. You're covered in bandages! What happened?" Lyon looked concerned.

"No, Juvia is totally fine. Lyon-sama, Juvia just went on a mission, these wounds are nothing to worry about. What are you doing here at night?" Juvia asked.

"I was in the neighborhood. I went on a mission a few cities over and had a little bit of spare time so I thought I'd visit Fairy Tail. I especially wanted to see you, Juvia." Lyon became bashful at the bold declaration.

Juvia's heart thumped. What was this feeling? It felt so odd. What is it about this Ice Mage that made her heart feel so fluttery? She stood there speechless.

"Anyway Juvia, since I've got you here, I was wondering if you'd like to meet me tomorrow for a bite to eat or something?" He blushed harder and there were sparkles in his eyes.

Juvia was uncertain, this didn't feel right. Something was missing. Confusion tinted her vision as she wondered if it really was Lyon she liked. There was something about Ice that made her feel content. As if it was the Ice Mage aspect of this man that she liked. He reminded her of someone perhaps? It was someone tall and cool, handsome and strong. None of those aspects matched anyone she knew off the top of her head. Whatever feeling she was feeling was too foreign for her to comprehend straight away and before she could understand what she was doing, she accepted Lyon's request.

"Oh, my dear Juvia, I will be waiting for you in front of your guild tomorrow at noon. It is a dream come true!" Lyon said, his voice full of joy, and bid her good day.

Juvia tried to remember what she was doing before she was interrupted by Lyon but her memories seemed muddled. There was that confused, anxious feeling again. Looking around she noticed she was by that obnoxious pervert's house. She snapped at attention as she remembered she was there to see that exact person. She resumed her quest to interrogate him about her sudden confusion.

She bounded over to the door and knocked curtly. After waiting for the appropriate 10 seconds, Juvia angrily rushed in. She searched every nook and cranny and could find no Gray Fullbuster. She huffed in frustration. There were only so many places he could be and if this wasn't one of them then he was probably at the guild. She was about to go when she caught sight of a drawing over on Gray's end table. It was one of Reedus' drawings. In it were Gray and herself. She was making goo-goo eyes at him and he had his arms crossed. That. Jerk. Not only has he made her confused and angry but he made poor Reedus make a false drawing of the two of them? He was going to pay dearly for this.

She stuffed the drawing in her pocket and tore for the door, her rage reaching a new level far beyond what she could have imagined. This was all his fault, his fault, _his fault!_ She was going to find him and god help him when she does.

-oOo-

Juvia arrived at the guild in record time, searching everywhere for Gray. Nobody gave her a second glance as she raced around the room, scanning for the man who she believed was at fault. Everyone just thought it was the normal Juvia looking for her beloved Gray. Lucy watched Juvia warily. She sure liked the change in regards to their relationship but it seemed Juvia had turned her aggressions on Gray. Lucy seemed to be the only one that noticed Juvia's expression as one of intense fury. The young water mage's pretty features were pulled taut in what seemed like a grimace of pain. It was a desperate expression. It was almost as if Juvia _needed _to find Gray. Lucy made the wise decision to butt out of it when she saw a certain red haired woman approaching Juvia with ease.

Erza stepped into Juvia's path and held up a hand to stop her. "Gray isn't here." Erza sincerely wanted to give Juvia closure. She could see Juvia's feelings just screaming to be acknowledged. She placed a hand on Juvia's shoulder. "Please, tell me what's wrong." Erza pleaded.

Juvia visibly relaxed under Erza's slightly painful grip. She was embarrassed to say this but Erza had always seemed like the big sister Juvia never had. She was strong, cool, and very pretty. She may be intimidating but that was another aspect that Juvia admired about her. She wanted to confide in her so badly, she could feel the confession trying to escape from the tip of her tongue, but she held it together and smiled at Erza. "I'd just really like to talk to Gray. There are a few things I'd like to…uh clear up." She hesitated slightly. "I went to his house and couldn't find him. Do you know where he is? It's important."

Erza let go of the woman's shoulder and instead pulled her into a one-armed hug. "It's okay Juvia." Upon releasing the young mage Erza explained Gray went to Fairy Hills to find her. "He's probably there now; you may still be able to catch him if you hurry. Once he doesn't see you there he'll probably just head back here. So it's up to you whether or not you just want to wait for him."

Juvia didn't wait to hear why he was looking for her so she thanked Erza for the information and started for the door. When she turned back to Erza to wave, Erza called out, "Good luck Juvia!" Juvia had a sudden flash of eerie recognition. This had happened somewhere before but with someone else. Just that little sentiment had caused her so much joy but she couldn't put her finger on whom it was. Juvia held up a thumbs up in return and practically ran from the guild towards Fairy Hills.

As she hurried toward Fairy Hills, Juvia felt tears threatening to slip down her face. Why does this keep happening to her? These little flashes of confusing images were really starting to scare her. She was so distressed that she didn't notice she was being followed.

-oOo-

Gray had spent 10 minutes outside of Fairy Hills pacing. He'd come out here all brave and full of responsibility but now that he was here his courage and drive had left him. He gazed up at the building with anxiety evident in his features. Even if she _was_ here what would he say to her? He tried to imagine a scenario that would work.

*Fantasy Gray faced Juvia with a question mark on his face. Gray would speak softly to Juvia so as not to alarm her. Gray spoke, "Sorry Juvia, we're just not meant to be. You and I just don't fit." For some reason Gray sounded awfully mechanical. Fantasy Juvia started to cry and sob. She dissolved into water and Fantasy Gray just laughed. *

Gray shook his head and rubbed his temples. Try again, he told himself.

*Fantasy Gray stood in front of Juvia with hearts in his eyes. "Oh my Juvia, my eyes have been opened! I realized that I love you more than anything! Let's move in right away and have a million babies!" Fantasy Juvia swooned and latched onto him. They melted into each other and became one person.*

"Ah!" Gray screamed. That was terrifying. What was wrong with his imagination? He absentmindedly created a little Ice Juvia. He leaned against the tree in front of fairy hills and stared at the little figure. He was surprisingly thorough when it came to creating things in his element. Ice Juvia was the exact copy of real Juvia. She even had the smile on her face that Gray liked. It wasn't her crazy smile that paired with her heart eyes. It was the smile she'd shown him when she'd first entered the guild. He missed that smile. Was he really the cause of Juvia's sudden attitude change? He took a deep breath and addressed the Juvia replica.

"Juvia, it's not like I hate you." He said huffily and frowned. That sounded so weird. He was about to try again when he noticed the change in the Ice Juvia. Her face had assumed a sad expression. Her sunny smile had shifted to a frown and the ice had started to melt slightly so it appeared as though she were crying. "Yeah, that was pretty bad." He agreed with the little figure and dissolved it. He stood up. He had no choice but to just wing it.

He entered the small apartment complex and wandered around, hoping he wouldn't get caught. Levy popped out of her apartment to investigate the footsteps coming down the hall. She hoped it was Juvia since she hadn't gotten to see her yet. She was surprised to see Gray walking up the hall. "Hey, Gray, what are you doing in Fairy Hills?"

"I was just looking for Juvia. Do you know what room is her's?" He asked.

Levy pointed him in the right direction and retreated back into her place. Gray padded down to Juvia's door and noticed it was opened slightly. Juvia must have forgotten to close it, part of his mind reasoned. Alarm bells rang in another part of his mind. Juvia could be an airhead but there was a possibility that something had happened.

He entered cautiously, hoping the possible intruder was still there. He didn't see anyone but figured it'd be a good idea to search the place. Juvia didn't seem to be there either. He searched the kitchen, the dining room, and he even checked the bathroom (very carefully in case Juvia had been in the bath). The apartment was completely empty. He wasn't satisfied yet so he walked over to the nearest closet.

He opened the door to her closet and was hit by a plastic bag. Upon further inspection, he deduced it was just a bag of dolls and trinkets. He pulled out a doll and gasped when he saw it was wearing an outfit strikingly similar to one he owned. The doll had dark hair and a little scar on its forehead. He touched the scar on his own head. Wow, either he was crazy or this was a doll of him. He rifled through the rest of the bag and pulled out every doll. They were all of him. All shapes and sizes of Gray Fullbuster dolls and knick-knacks. She may be crazy about him but he had to admire the tenacity of the water mage. The dolls were beautifully crafted. Maybe she should work in the guild's gift shop. He set the bag down and looked around the apartment again. Other than the bag of Gray paraphernalia there was nothing he could find out of the ordinary.

"If she's not here then she must be at the guild." He thought aloud. He sat on one of her comfy couches and set his chin in his hand. He just wanted to get this over with. He wanted the old Juvia back. She may be obnoxious at times but she wasn't like that all the time. She could be fun to hang out with when she wasn't going all ga-ga over him. She was really funny, witty, and entertaining when she didn't feel pressured to please him. He caught himself smiling at the memory of teaching her how to eat a caramelized frankfurter and his smile turned sad. He really did like Juvia and having her hate him hurt considerably. He liked to think that they were good friends.

He tried to imagine what it would be like with Juvia as something more than a friend plenty of times and that image wasn't bad, he had to admit. She was a very attractive woman and their magic suited each other perfectly. Her personality wasn't bad either and she was a smart person. He always told himself that he should give her a chance but it's important to remember that Gray is only 18. He's still maturing and his confidence with the ladies is mediocre at best. He's never even had a girlfriend. He hated thinking about these things. Even Natsu seemed to be getting more experience than him. He and Lucy appeared to be getting along just fine and he'd heard enough of Happy's *They liiiiiiked each other* provocations to see the real picture. Gray sighed as got up.

What was he even doing? Juvia was pissed at him and all he could think about was crushing her heart or giving her false hope. He didn't know how he felt about her and he shouldn't jump to conclusions. Sure, he thought she was a great person but that didn't mean he wanted her to be his girlfriend. Being his girlfriend would mean wrapping his arms around her tiny frame, holding her close, sharing warmth that he didn't think he had, and eventually they'd have to…to… His mind drifted as he thought of their lips getting closer and closer. Oh man that was weird. He didn't think he was ready for that.

He left Juvia's apartment and was going in the direction of the guild when he heard a scream. It was a familiar scream.

"Juvia!" He yelled and sprinted towards the sound.

-oOo-

Author's Note: Dun Dun Dun! What's gonna happen now? So sorry for the delay in chapters. Excuses, excuses. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter and all that. Sorry for the NaLu haters out there for mentioning a bit of that. I'm a pretty canon supporter in this series. Believe it or not, this chapter is a pretty long one for me. I've never made a chapter more than 3,000 words before so I feel pretty accomplished. Well, like always, I'd like you to review and all that jazz. Love you guys! Stay tuned for more! xoxoxoxo


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